Rowing and Track Athletics (extract)

CHAPTER XI THE ALL-ROUND INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP THE winning of the individual all-round ath– letic championship calls for a man who combines in an unusual way the qualities of strength and spring. If a record-breaking sprinter, for in– stance, represents the acme of specialization, the all-round champion embodies the maximum of generalization. He does not need to be a per– former of the first class in any one event, but he must combine in an extraordinary way the best physical qualifications of a number of ordi– nary individuals. The ordinary man falls below in many detached ways what is estimated to be the average height and weight and strength. The all-round champion is likely nearly to equal them. It might be said of him that he is abnor– mally normal. All-round champions, in the easy way that becomes a big and husky man who has won out, often say that "any man by proper training can become an all-round athlete." Some of the individual performances at this annual contest might indeed seem to corroborate such a remark, 390